[Log] Aspirations
Who: Sh'drian, Vaelis
When: Unknown
Where: Orchard, Ierne Weyr
What: Sh'drian searches Vaelis.
+---( Orchard - Ierne Weyr )-------------------------------------------------+
Outside the Weyr, but short of the forest, cultivated trees are lined up in reasonably straight rows. Carefully pruned and cared for, these clearly are grown to supplement the Weyr's food supply. Several sections exist, each devoted to different trees. The dark wood of cherry trees rise in one section, contrasted by the lighter, straighter branches of peach and pear trees in other sections. The fourth quarter of the orchard is filled with klah bark trees, the scars of previous harvests upon them. In between each of the rows are small channels that can be used to irrigate in dry seasons.
The Orchard looks quite different depending on the season. Spring is filled with the sight and fragrance of blossoms, while summer is green with leaves and bright with ripening fruit of various colors. During fall, the irrigation canals are filled with vibrant fallen leaves, fallen by the white desolation of winter, when the trees are bare of all but the most stubborn foliage.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Players: Vaelis
Exits: Forest WeyrGardens
While most of the trees have been plucked, further into the orchard, nearer the wild forest, seedlings have taken root out of the designated work area of the Weyr's workers. There, slumped beneath a tree of changing colors - the foliage ranging from the brilliance of crimson and gold to a more wilted brown that signifies the approach of winter - is Vaelis. Her fingers move quickly in the rote motions of unlacing her boots to tug them off all the easier, and at her side is a small basket, half-full, of fall's sweet offerings.
Tramping noisily through the orchard, Sh'drian heads toward the forest that begins at its edge, crunching across the leaves that have already begun to fall. His expression is pensive, and he seems to have no set destination in mind once he nears the edge of the forest. Once he sees Vaelis, he pauses adn watches her a moment, then meanders toward her.
For a hunter, Vaelis is remarkably oblivious to Sh'drian's approach, and continues in her placid way of undoing her first boot, and then tossing it a short distance away. The second is started, when she coughs and stretches her neck from side to side. "Unless you're bearing gifts, I suggest you stay a good distance away. Right-- there. Where you are." Teasing, a brow lifts, mischief dark in her russet eyes, and smug satisfaction when what she sees matches what she must have suspected.
Not given to obeying orders, Sh'drian purposefully stalks onward and settles to the ground quite close to Vaelis. "I bring my charming personality and dashing good looks. That suffice?" he drawls carelessly, stretching his legs out and leaning up against the side of the tree.
The second boot soon joins the first with a thud to the ground, and Vaelis stretches backwards, her arms within knocking distance of Sh'drian's head. "Your good looks are indisputable," she manages to say honestly, with little tease in her voice, "Your personality...," the honey blonde hair shakes with the movement of her head and suppressed laughter. "It's unique in its charms." Closer, the contents of her basket are visible, as not just redfruit but two slender knives: one for peeling and paring, another longer and slightly curved. "What brings you out here? I'd have thought Eadranth would keep you close to the Weyr in times like these."
"I am inimitatable," notes Sh'drian, bemused. "As for Eadranth? Eadranth is a terrible father. He's bored out of his mind just sitting on the sands with nothing to entertain him. So far, I've made the harper sing to him, had my nephew come talk to him (and draw him pictures that now cover his couch), and got one of the old aunties to tell him stories and knit in there. Not to mention taken him to Southern a couple of times, if no one else is handy to give me a ride. I'm running out of ideas," he admits with a shrug.
"Strip tease," Vae suggests, only half-joking. "But he's seen you naked many a time I suppose. Tell him to play hide-the-egg with Alaemyth and see how well that goes over." If anything, it'll at least be amusing for a brief moment. Her hand reaches over to the basket, picking out one fruit and the paring knife. "Want some? I think the trees here bear sweeter fruit than over there," she waves absently to the cultivated and sectioned off portion of the orchards.
"Hmm, that's an idea," muses the Weyrleader. Sh'drian smirks broadly, noting, "Of course, maybe I could hire some of the lower caverns girls to entertain the both of us. With Winter laid up with that leg, we've got free run, you know." Smugly, he folds his arms over his chest, glancing over at the fruit. "Everything's better in the wild," he notes. "I understand how Eadranth feels, being cooped up and trapped on the sands."
Vaelis rolls her eyes, distaste flickering in the bland expression of her face. Using the knife, and taking his lack of a response as a yes, she carefully peels the soft fruit and cuts off a slice so it's still hinged to the fruit until pulled off, and offers it to the Weyrleader. "You like power, you like being able to do whatever you want. What even keeps you at a Weyr? Why not go off and be the Lord of your own island and abandon needless responsibilities? I'm sure you could convince some of the brainless girls who greet everyone with open legs to go with you." Utterly sweet, the sting that's absent from her banter is found in the disdain of her eyes. "Or," she allows after a significant pause, "Go out with me. Eadranth came come too, if he promises to be silent."
Sh'drian smirks further. "I like being in control," he notes, accepting the fruit. He takes a bite and chews thoughtfully before continuing. "There's not much control to be had without people. And if you want some quick sex, there's nothing like those girls. But I like a challenge more--something, somebody, that makes me work for every inch of ground. Took me four turns to get Tirya, you know, but I did." He shrugs, adds, "We don't need Eadrath. Just the two of us can go out one day, hmm? See what we can catch." If he notes her condescension, he ignores it, still smirking baldly.
"Then I suppose you're in the right place." Not sounding particularly pleased, though displeasure would be too strong of a description, Vaelis continues to cut, wedging off a slice for herself and using her teeth to pull it away from the core. A trail of juice makes its way down the side of her mouth as she chews, pensive. Bent knees are straightened so her toes are free to wiggle as they please, and after a moment, mouth clear of food, she slants Sh'drian a guileless smile. "Well, I thought I was coming up with activities to occupy Eadranth's time, you're presence would just be a bonus."
"Oooh, right," agrees Sh'drian with a nod. "Eadranth." He shrugs mildly, finishing his section fruit thoughtfully. "He'll manage, anyway. So. You really think that? That I'm in the right place?" He glances sideways at Vaelis, tilting his head slightly.
"Where else would someone like you be accepted?" Vaelis returns, unapologetic with wide-eyed innocence reflected in her dark eyes. "I imagine, one day, you'll want to become a Weyrleader at a somewhat more prestigious Weyr than lil' ole' Ierne, but that day's probably still distant in the future." She works her way around the redfruit's core on her own, chewing with appreciative gusto. "I was going to go for a walk," she gestures to the forest, "Just along the periphery before it gets too cold to walk around barefoot. Did you want to join, or are you finding the tree's trunk to your bottom much to your liking?"
Sh'drian shrugs idly. "Ierne's good enough, for now. What else is there? I'm twenty-six and I'm at the top of the world. There's nothing else for me to do, nothing else for me to accomplish. I've done everything I ever wanted to, and more," he notes blandly. He doesn't rise, but he does query, "What do you plan on doing with the rest of /your/ life? "
Vaelis spares Sh'drian a moment's longer glance, expectant for some sort of answer or motion that signifies what he'll do, and when that doesn't come, she gives a little shrug and rises herself. The knife is tossed into the basket, lodging itself in a fruit, and the core is discarded to return to the earth. Absently, she dusts her pants off and readjusts the sailor's tunic she wears, before finally returning to study the bronzerider. Flatly, she speaks, "Some people don't have aspirations or ambitions further than the lot cast them in life. I'm happy where I am, and have no plans to leave or travel very far away from my home. In that," the pained look she gains as she concedes this is offset by the irony that cools her dark eyes, "I can't fathom how difficult it was for you lot to leave everything you knew."
Sh'drian's smirk lacks some of its edge as he replies, "No, I don't suppose you can." But he shrugs and stands himself, though still remains leaning against the tree. He simply says, "How about this, hmm? Be a candidate."
That's enough to catch the departing girl by surprise, and the few steps she takes towards the forest pause in the swivel to take in Sh'drian again. "That's funny. I never knew you had that kind of humor inside ya, sir." Vaelis's eyes roll again, head shaking lightly. One hand finds her hip and she stands there regarding Sh'drian. "You're not serious."
Sh'drian shrugs. "I'm always serious," notes Sh'drian, with that same lazy smirk.
"Not always," Vaelis replies, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Her fingers curl reflexively, getting a grip on her tunic. "What's in it for me?" she asks after a long look.
"The joys of being a dragonrider. Maybe," Sh'drian says dryly. "I don't know. You get what you want. You're a bright girl; I'm sure you can think of something."
"Not so bright," Vaelis is quick to deny. "Since I think I'm saying yes. Cut off your nose to spite your face, or something." Meaning, she's sure she'll regret it. "Being a dragonrider means if I Impress, you have more," she mirrors one of Sh'drian's smirks, "Control over me?"
Sh'drian shrugs, as though that had never occurred to him. "I suppose it does," he remarks with a mild expression. "So, a yes. Good. Eadranth will be just thrilled, you know. You know where the barracks are, of course, and the rules and the such, so I suppose you're ready to go get settled in? I have a couple of things to do before I slip over to Southern for the night."
Vaelis will take her sweet little time in returning to the barracks and rules. "I'll figure something amusing for Eadranth in the mean time." She sticks her thumbs into her pants and sways idly on the balls of her feet back and forth. "Have fun with your nookie." All lighthearted singsongyness, and then steps that head towards the forest. This walk's being taken, candidacy or no.
"Uh-huh. You owe him now," remarks Sh'drian with a smirk. "Good day, Vaelis." With that, he turns and saunters back toward the Weyr.